Apple still ’studying’ Google Voice [let the spin begin]
By Ronald O Carlson
Friday was the day Apple and AT&T had to provide explanations to federal regulators as to why Google Voice isn’t available on the App Store. As one might expect Ma Bell denied any interference, though Cupertino now claims — queue snort of derision — that the application hasn’t been rejected at all and is still being considered for release on the App Store.
Quoting Apple documents submitted to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the New York Times and Associated Press are reporting that Google’s Voice iPhone application may yet become available on the iTunes App Store. It seems that Cupertino’s software censors never actually rejected the telephony application and that the software is still being studied somewhere in the bowels of 1 Infinite Loop.
“Contrary to published reports, Apple has not rejected the Google Voice application, and continues to study it,” Apple said in a letter to the Federal Communications Commission.
Thereupon, the company goes on to say that Google Voice duplicates integrated functionality (i.e. AT&T’s bread and butter voice and SMS revenue) and “appears to alter the iPhone’s distinctive user experience by replacing the iPhone’s core mobile telephone functionality and Apple user interface with its own user interface for telephone calls, text messaging and voice mail.” These is a common App Store censor complaint, though the reason doesn’t always result in rejection.
Further, AT&T denied any direct involvement in the Google Voice non-rejection while defending a clause in its contract with Apple that effectively blocks VOIP software and services, such as Google Voice or Skype (allowed as a wi-fi only iPhone app), from using its data network via the iPhone.
Big brother’s warm embrace
The really interesting bit — yes, it gets worse — is that Apple claims one of the reasons that it hasn’t authorized Google Voice for release on the App Store is because Google hasn’t given assurances how it plans to use and/or protect confidential iPhone Address Book data.
“We have yet to obtain any assurances from Google that this data will only be used in appropriate ways,” Apple said.
That’s awfully thoughtful of Apple, but you’ve got to wonder why a simple tick box or radio button user opt in or out somewhere in the Google Voice for iPhone set up wouldn’t be sufficient protection?
That said, the underlying issues here are whether or not Apple and AT&T, which can quite reasonably be thought of as merely providing a device and network connection, respectively (i.e. a widget that belongs to the user and a data pipe that shouldn’t discriminate between bits), have an absolute right to shut out alternative software and network products. Further thereto, the iPhone is a computer and AT&T’s data network is just the internet, so locking competitors out is decidedly anti-competitive.
Although an open network approach has its appeal, a large measure of the iPhone and the App Store’s success can be traced to Apple’s iron grip on hardware, software and network access, so simply opening the platform to all comers will have a price.
Nevertheless, however this situation ultimately turns out — an open vs locked device — the FCC’s interest in Apple and AT&T has already fundamentally altered the US smartphone market and I’m thinking that can’t be a bad thing…
What’s your take?
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